


Am I Still Happy?

by NanakiBH



Category: Persona 3
Genre: Alternate Ending, Community: springkink, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-03
Updated: 2008-06-03
Packaged: 2017-11-19 19:17:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/576727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A future where they could all be smiling happily was just one possibility.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Am I Still Happy?

**Author's Note:**

> For this springkink prompt:  
> June 3: Persona 3, Shinjiro/Akihiko/Ken: Happy Ending AU!, future-fic - "We can work it out"

“Hey, we have a letter.”

Shinji set down the wok on the stove after giving it a good toss and came over. “Don't we always get mail at this time of day?” Curiously, he peered over Akihiko's shoulder as he opened the letter, placing his cheek right up against his, his arms snaking their way around his waist. Aki nudged him in the stomach and he just laughed, kissing the side of his neck.

“A letter is different from normal mail. I think it's from Ken.”

Shinji's heart always gave a painful tug whenever he heard Ken Amada's name. He couldn't believe it had been eight years ago already. Although eight years sounded like a long time, the memories of those days with the members of SEES didn't feel as distant. Sometimes, that bothered him. It wasn't like he wanted to entirely forget the things he had done. There were always things that reminded him of the night he accidentally struck down Ken's mother, but he felt a bit of shame at how he had tried to handle things himself afterward, especially when he was finally confronted by Ken himself.

Akihiko gave him another slight nudge, this time to get his attention. “You listening? I'm going to read it.”

“O-Oh... Yeah, read it.”

Pulling the letter free from the envelope, Akihiko unfolded it and set the envelope aside on the kitchen table. The handwriting didn't look like something a kid would do anymore but he couldn't really remember Ken acting like much of a kid in the first place. He cleared his throat – 

“Dear Akihiko-senpai and Shinjiro-senpai,

"I'm already going to graduate. Can you believe that? It's been a really long time since we fought the Shadows, hasn't it? It feels like just yesterday that you graduated, Akihiko. Please don't tell me Shinjiro hasn't graduated still. That'd just be sad if after all this time, I've graduated and he hasn't yet.

"I guess that if any of us know about his bad decisions, it'd be you though, Akihiko-senpai. But I suppose I should give him a break. After all, I think every success I've had, even the minor ones, has been dedicated somewhat to the both of you. I can still remember the anger I had toward him and how badly I wanted to do something about it, for my mom's sake. After almost losing senpai though, I realized that I didn't want to lose anyone anymore. I still think about her sometimes and that hate rises up again but it's not like before. I remember the guilt you've had, senpai, and I feel like I can't blame you anymore.

"Maybe I always was just a kid back then. I wanted to think I was a lot stronger than that, but my decisions were about as blind as a child's. I'm so sorry for what I've put you through, Shinjiro-senpai, and know that this isn't something you have to bear alone.

"I thought about dropping the “senpai” on your names recently but it just wouldn't feel right. To me, you two are the most important people in my life. Who ever thought that I'd lose someone and gain so much more?

"Akihiko-senpai, I'm really impressed. I heard about your involvement with the police. I'm happy to hear you still have the same fighting spirit.

"Shinjiro-senpai, I hate to admit it but yeah, you too. I'm impressed that you managed to start up a restaurant by yourself. You must be smart if you can do something like that. I'm also really happy that you stayed together with Akihiko. I know how happy you make him, even if it doesn't seem like it all the time.

"The real reason I'm writing is because I wanted to invite you both to my graduation party. I already invited the others and I think they'll be coming. I thought it would be appropriate for us all to meet again on a day like that.

"Thank you, I hope to see you again.”

Akihiko finished reading, his voice slightly unsteady. “The details are at the bottom with directions.”

He felt the arms around his waist tighten and heard a sniffle from behind him. He liked to try to lighten the mood sometimes but even he felt affected by the letter. They had heard from Ken before but it was always things about how he was doing; his new adoptive parents, his first girlfriend, Koromaru's condition – things like that. Usually, he skipped over the things they thought he would say.

Maybe he really had grown up.

Pulling back, Shinji wiped the back of his hand across his cheek, looking more composed now aside from some tears he missed. “I really can't believe it's been that long. We must be getting old.”

“We aren't old. You can say that when you're thirty.” Having folded the letter back up neatly, Akihiko placed it in the middle of the table for them to remember. Shinjiro kept an uneasy sort of silence to himself and retreated back to the stove before anything burned. Aki returned to the table and resumed looking through the newspaper with mild disinterest. It was obvious what they both were thinking about and it hung heavily between them. The pan and spoon clanked and Shinji turned off the burner, setting it back down quietly.

“I wonder what he looks like now. He must look a lot older.”

His cup raised halfway to his mouth, Aki stopped and turned to stare at his back. “Wouldn't he think the same about us? You said we're old, right?” Without a response, he went to him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Putting his cheek up against his back, he realized their height difference and thought with some amusement that Shinji did feel just a little bit older than him like that.

“I'm... I'm really glad you're okay now too, Shinji.”

Slowly, he placed his hands atop Akihiko's and breathed a sigh. “Yeah. I'm glad too.”


End file.
